Hell's Guest
by junkosakura01
Summary: With no new requests coming from the Website, Ai gets a day's rest. (Disclaimer: contains a bit of OOC.)


Disclaimer: may contain a bit of OOC.

ooo

A usual noise fills the halls with screams and cries of humans sent to Hell. The Great King Enma is always at a loss whether he can take a break or not from his duties as a judge of the afterlife. As time went by there are more sinners sent down than being saved up in Heaven. He can only count on his trusted and reliable Chief of Staff, Hozuki, to ease up work and finish quick.

"Great King Enma," said someone with a baritone voice.

It is none other than his Chief of Staff, Hozuki, with a girl wearing a floral-design black kimono, and has straight, long, black hair right, beside him. "Enma Ai-san, this is the Great King Enma, one of the ten judges of the afterlife. Great King, she is here to observe the other parts of Hell. I believe you _may_ have forgotten about her visit, _didn't you_?"

Enma gasps as soon as he sees Hozuki's glare. He scratched his head and apologized, "E-Eh…um… Well you see, things suddenly got hectic around here… B-But your presence is just fine…! You d-didn't come at a bad time, you c-came by just as you said you would! H-Hozuki-kun will attend to you. I'm very sorry." He stutters as Hozuki glared. The aura was intense that Enma shivered so much his seat was shaking as well, good thing his desk was in the way or they would have seen him so scared.

"It's no trouble," said Ai in a monotone voice. "I respect the duties he's doing. Pleased to meet you both, I am Enma Ai." She's unusually talkative, and then she gives quick bow along with her greeting.

_This girl…she seems a lot like Hozuki-kun, only calmer and I think nicer…_Enma thought, and was feeling relieved. Hozuki seems to know what it was and shot him another death glare. Enma accidentally fell from his chair after.

"Th-Thank you, Hozuki-kun…" Enma sighed and pulled himself up back to his seat as he was helped by Hozuki.

"Great King, you have to be extra careful. Hmm…your seat's not that broken. I'll make sure to give you another exercise course when you're done."

"I-I'm not that fat!" Enma shouted, "But it was your glare that made me fell—yikes…! S-Sorry!" He quickly buries his head within his arms on his desk. Hozuki said "Tch" as he turned back and escorts Ai to the door.

"Ah, before you two leave," Enma spoke so the two would stop walking, "Why did you suddenly wanted to visit this part of Hell? I believe you're usually busy, sending people to Hell with your contract. Some of the sinners sent here are from your line of work."

"Honne-Onna and Ren said I needed to take a break once in a while, and there weren't anyone contacting the Hell Website recently. I declined at first but seeing work's pace as is, I thought I should go take a break after all. Then Wanyuudo told me about this place," Ai explained in her usual monotonous and calm voice.

"He must be the one who escorted you here." Hozuki said, "That ride you were in was him, am I correct?"

"Yes."

"Come, I'll take you on a tour while we leave him work. Great King Enma, make sure you've finished by the time we're done."

"For some reason, I bet he's making me look bad without even directly telling her… But even if I wasn't this busy, I'd still leave the matter to Hozuki-kun." He then scratched his chin and sighed, "But I hope he doesn't remember what he said about his 'exercise course of death'!"

Hozuki and Ai left the halls while passing by a line of sinners being shoved straight before and out of Enma's desk. He sighs again as he watched the two go out the door while he's left with paperwork and judging them. Within the area, they came across O-koh who was looking at the Goldfish Grass plants swaying.

"Ah, Hozuki-sama, I was just wondering if this one is thirsty or not," O-koh said. "My, what a lovely young girl. Hello there," she gave a cheerful smile.

"Don't worry, I just watered them earlier today. This is Enma Ai-san, she is on a visit while taking a break from her duties. This is O-koh-san, one of the female minions working here."

"I'm O-koh, pleased to meet you. I hope you enjoy your stay." Ai nodded as a 'yes' and then gave a slight bow as thanks. "Oh my, I'm sorry, I'd love to stay and chat but I must go now, I have duties to attend to," said O-koh as she left them after giving a slight bow.

"We will head to the torture chambers now. Oh? Are you intrigued? These are my pets which I care for during my free time."

"Would they be able to live anywhere here?"

"Of course, other than me there are other pet owners who takes care of these kind." Ai looks at them some more with an intrigued expression. Then, the swaying goldfish grasses seems to let out a happy cry.

They reached the torture chambers when suddenly both Karauri and Nasubi came running scared towards them from the chambers. According to them, Karashi suddenly went berserk when one of the sinners mentioned the word 'badger' and started hitting everyone inside even the minions in-charge, and they didn't want to get accidentally hit.

"Tsk… You are minions here and you've already witness her exceptional torture methods, yet show weakness? Stop being a coward especially we have a guest today." He stopped and turned to Ai, "I apologize; they're usually ruthless and does their work efficiently. Excuse me for a moment while I stop them from causing too much trouble." Hozuki sighs as he calmly went inside. He brutally hits every sinner with his iron club along with Karashi who is mercilessly whacking everyone inside with her oar while saying "Damn you, Badger!"

Ai shook her said to say that it was alright and remained unfazed by the ruthless scene inside the chamber. Karauri stared at her in awe, _Gosh, she's just as pretty as O-koh-san_. Nasubi suddenly shouted with a smile, "Ah! _Jigoku Shoujo_! You're so pretty!"

"Idiot! It's rude to our guest! Don't just do that…" Karauri said. But then he stopped to analyze, "Wait, _you're_ her!?" Ai nodded as a response. After a long look he suddenly got nervous, "I-I'm so sorry! I didn't know!" he said as he made quick bows. "I'm amazed at you for doing such work for a long time!"

Hozuki returned with a calm and back-to-normal Karashi resting on his arms. "I apologize if I took long to return, we often experience sudden incidents such as this. This is another one of our minions, Karashi-san. She reacts to the word," he quickly covers both of Karashi's ears, "badger, and doesn't stop until she's satisfied."

Karashi looked at him for covering her ears, "Well I bet it's a word I don't have to hear then that's okay," she said. "Oh, a pretty girl," says Karashi as she noticed Ai standing between the two boys.

With a slow and gentle gesture, Ai is holding Karashi in her arms while petting her. Nasubi and Karauri looks at her with the thought that she's not as uncaring as she looks. Both smiled while watching her, and Hozuki just watched them.

"Excuse me," suddenly she spoke, "but is that the Great King Enma I see badly beaten over there? Wasn't he at his desk just a while ago?"

Hozuki shook his head but Ai was pretty sure it was him. Somewhere in her thoughts she knew that Enma was more like under Hozuki's authority than the other way around. "Great King is sometimes trying to skip his work. But he must be finished for today. That was too fast despite the long line we passed by."

"Huh, Great King is working hard!" Nasubi said while he walks back inside the chamber.

"This idiot…he really doesn't know what's going on, huh?" Karauri sighed and then followed his carefree companion.

They soon left the chambers and passed by every area fit for a tour. Ai occasionally asks some questions and said some things, but most of the tour she's quiet as ever. It doesn't show but she's really enjoying her time. Having to take a break like that was a good idea after all.

She seems to be tired from all that walking and Hozuki noticed, "We've walked quite a lot, please rest for a while. This is the gate of Hell which leads to every places even in the mundane world. There are seats here we can use. We'll return once you're ready."

"My, my, Hozuki-sama, that's a lovely young girl with you. Is she your girlfriend?" said a voice coming from within the gate. Out came Horse-head, one of the gatekeepers. As soon as she was introduced, Cow-head appeared, also given an introduction by Hozuki. But within Cow-head's arms is a struggling Hakutaku gasping for air. The two gatekeepers said they'd love to stop and chat but they're currently on guard-duty. Hakutaku just came by to get some things for his work and was on his way back to Shangri-La.

"Gah! I'd rather like if she didn't give me such a deadly hug…" Hakutaku stretches. "Oho! Hozuki! You deadly bastard, you got one before me! I didn't know even you can get a girlfriend!" Hakutaku happily jumped in front of Ai, "Why settle for this slit-eyed guy when you can go with me and live in Shangri-La?"

"She's not my girlfriend and don't just flirt with Enma Ai-san like with any other women. Enma Ai-san is the _Jigoku Shoujo_," he replied as he tries to bury his iron club into Hakutaku's stomach. "She is currently on a tour and does not entertain someone like you." He then turns to Ai, "Are you well-rested? Let's leave this fool and—"

"Hold it! ...Ngh…" Hakutaku yells while coughing. "If you're on a tour, then I invite you to come visit Shangri-La as well. I've finished getting what I came for and has plenty of time to deal with a guest pretty as you. I heard a little while ago that you're here to take a rest. I'll give you something that'll be handy." Then he turns around and thought, _Does a Jigoku Shoujo even get tired…?_

Ai just stood there and then looked at Hozuki. She seems to be interested in taking a look even for a short time. She also remembered about Honne-Onna occasionally complaining about having a sore body so she asks if she could get some medicine. Hozuki nodded and agreed to escort her there even if Hakutaku is refusing to take him along and do it himself.

Vivid, lively, and full of lush nature, Ai looks like she could faint from the different atmosphere or even smile with amazement, but no, she's unfazed as ever. Welcoming them from the small house is Momotaro who was helping some rabbits collect peaches from nearby trees.

"Let's see…a remedy for fatigue and sore body…" Hakutaku is inside rummaging his medicine wares while Hozuki and Ai are outside waiting with a table and chairs set up by Momotaro. He then gives them tea while they wait and then asked, "If Ai-san is already dead as well and working in Hell, um, is it rude to ask what crime she committed? U-Uh…well, she could have, I mean she is sent to Hell as well…ngh…" He made a fake cough to clear his throat.

"Allow me," Hozuki said, "Enma Ai-san has been sentenced to fulfill requests of mortals who contacts the Hell Website that had evolved from an ema to newspaper ads to computer technology, with a very heavy sin. Am I correct?" Ai nodded. For a quick moment her expression is lifeless. Momotaro looks away to avoid bringing up unnecessary moods.

"Not the talkative-type, huh?" Momotaro says as he fills Hozuki's cup with another serving of tea. "Well I got this job and it's been a huge change on me. No more unreasonable fights for me."

Ai looked at him with the thought that she has a different impression of him as Momotaro who slayed every Oni in Oni Island. Momotaro looks away thinking that Ai could have seen through him and knowing that he was just lucky.

Hakutaku arrives with a small bottle in his hand, "Okay, Ai-chan, here you go! This one should do nicely. Say, you're not really the one who needs this, huh?" Ai nodded with a thank you and told him why she needed it. "Hm-hmm, I see. I do hope I'll meet her too soon. I bet she's a hottie like most of the ladies here," he said with a huge grin on his face.

"You've easily gotten familiar with her," Hozuki said, "Don't you have any respect?"

"Bah! I don't care as long as she's pretty!"

"You do know that one day you'll end up in Hell for your misdeeds."

"Hakutaku-san is really having a rough life," Momotaro sighed.

Waving at them, Ai sees Hakutaku and Momotaro as she walked with Hozuki back towards the gate. It's been a long day and she's seen enough according to her. Before she left she was given a meal as part of her visit, and Hozuki took part in preparing it.

Ai made sure that she can show them that she really enjoyed her visit and even the Goldfish Grass she received. Though she wasn't sure how she'll take care of it, but she surprisingly she asked for one. Thus her day at that part of Hell ended and she was escorted back home by her three followers.

"Good work for the day, Hozuki-kun," said Enma as he stretched out his arms. "Sitting my butt here all day is a lot more painful."

"May I remind you that you were inside one of the chambers earlier? I wonder how you always managed to get yourself in trouble despite being a respected judge."

"D-Don't bring up stuff like that!" Enma cleared his throat, "Ahem! Well how did the tour go? I think Ai-san was satisfied."

"Everything went well."

"If it's you, then surely nothing will go wrong here. That young lady also has a huge burden but let's not get involved. Hozuki-kun, you seem enjoyed as well."

"That is true, Great King. We don't have guests often. But seeing how this conversation will go, I will say that I am not interested in making her my girlfriend."

"Oof! You saw that one coming," Enma chuckled nervously, "Well it's been a day, let's go eat something good. I'm starving! After that, we can drink until we drop!"

"Only you will drop, Great King, and when we're done, finish up the remaining paperwork I see here in this pile. Speaking of food, you'll deal with the exercise first thing tomorrow after you wake up." Enma froze in silence and then shouting, "WHAT!? F-First thing in the morning!? I can't wake up that early! There's no way I'll experience that kind of exercise ever again! Spare me!"

Before they arrive at the door, Enma stopped walking, "Uh, Hozuki-kun, why do you keep addressing her by her full name?"

"For some reason, I cannot address her as 'Enma-san' because it would be like addressing you, Great King, given that you both have 'Enma' in your names. Calling her by 'Ai-san' would be a little rude, if I were to give my opinion."

"Hozuki-kun... That was really nice and you don't have to be too formal, but it feels like you hated my name.…or that you hate me at all…"

Back at a small traditional Japanese house under a crimson sky, Ai is looking at her new pet planted outside.

"M-Miss…I've been meaning to ask you but what is that thing? A plant? No, is it a fish?" said Ren with a puzzled look on his face. "Anyways it's a bit creepy and weird if you ask me. Just now it let out weird cry."

"Who knows?" she replied.

Wanyuudo smiled, "Well, the Young Miss personally asked for one."

"Seriously!?" Ren said, "If that thing's edible as well, I don't think I'd eat it."

"Ah~ That felt so good!" Honne-Onna said in relief, "Thank you, Miss, for giving me this medicine. I'm sorry if I was complaining a lot."

Wanyuudo replied, "At least the Young Miss enjoyed her break. Looks like things will be hectic again as we know it. Would you like to go there again sometime?"

Ai nods, "Yes, especially even if I'm not too busy. It would be nice if there was a day when I could work like they do."

END


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